Tag: georgia

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NAPABA Calls on Law Enforcement to Fully Investigate Georgia Shootings

For Immediate Release: Date: March 17, 2021

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON—Last night, a gunman entered multiple businesses in Atlanta and opened fire on their predominantly Asian American workforces. This horrifying act of violence left eight dead, including six Asian American women. There have now been nearly 3,800 documented attacks against Asian Americans since the start of the pandemic just over a year ago, with this incident, sadly, being the most brazen and violent.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)’s president A.B. Cruz III issued the following statement:

“NAPABA extends its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of the eight victims. Last night’s murders are only the latest in a distressing trend that specifically targets and physically attacks Asian Americans—particularly the elderly and women. This is totally unacceptable.

While further details of this violent act are still forthcoming, it is clear, from this latest tragedy and the many before it, that the Asian American community has good reason to be acutely concerned. Therefore, we specifically call on federal and local state law enforcement to aggressively investigate and prosecute these unconscionable killings to the fullest extent, including unearthing and evaluating all evidence supporting that these murders were racially motivated.

NAPABA is working closely with its Affiliate, the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association on this matter. We are fully committed to providing the necessary resources to the victims and their families to ensure justice ultimately prevails, and our community and our allies may heal and transcend this atrocity.”

NAPABA’s hate crimes resources, including providing pro bono legal assistance, can be found here. NAPABA’s Stand Against Hate campaign, denouncing racism can be found here. NAPABA and its affiliates’ past statements on anti-Asian hate can be found here.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 50,000 legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

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NAPABA and GAPABA Celebrate the Appointment of Judge Carla Wong McMillian to the Supreme Court of Georgia

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA) celebrate the appointment of Judge Carla Wong McMillian to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Appointed by Governor Brian Kemp on March 27, 2020, Judge McMillian will be the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the state’s highest court when sworn in.

“NAPABA extends congratulations to Judge Carla Wong McMillian on her appointment to the Supreme Court of Georgia,” said Bonnie Lee Wolf, NAPABA President. “A leader in her community and past president of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Judge McMillian will bring her record of legal excellence to the bench. During this challenging time, it is uplifting news to celebrate Judge McMillian blazing the trail as the first AAPI nominated to Georgia’s highest court.”

”GAPABA is thrilled that our own Judge Carla Wong McMillian has been appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court,” said Angela Hsu, GAPABA President. “Currently, there are no other AAPI serving on the highest courts of any state in the South, the Southeast or the Midwest. In addition to the historic nature of this appointment, Judge McMillian is a jurist, a colleague and a friend who has the love and respect of the entire legal community.”

“We are extremely proud to hear that Judge Carla McMillian has been elevated to the Supreme Court of Georgia,” added Judge Benes Aldana (ret.), chair of the NAPABA Judicial Council.

“Justice McMillian is an active member of the NAPABA Judicial Council and has been a trailblazer and an inspiration to our community.  Her elevation to the highest court in Georgia makes her the first and only Asian Pacific American to serve on a state supreme court in the South. This is such welcome news during these difficult times for our nation, as we see a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans.” 

Judge McMillian has served on the Court of Appeals of Georgia since 2013. In 2014, she became the first and only Asian American elected to statewide office in Georgia. Prior to joining the Court of Appeals, she served as a state court judge for Fayette County. Before her appointment to the bench, Judge McMillian was a partner at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (now known as Eversheds Sutherland). A current board member and past president of GAPABA, she is also a past recipient of NAPABA’s “Best Lawyers Under 40” Award. Judge McMillian is a graduate of Duke University and received her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

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NAPABA Congratulates BJay Pak on Nomination to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

For Immediate Release
July 24, 2017

                                                   For More Information, Contact:
                                                   Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
                                                   [email protected], 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — On Friday, July 21, President Trump announced the nomination of Byung J. “BJay” Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. If confirmed, Pak would be the first Asian Pacific American to hold this position.

“We congratulate BJay Pak on his nomination to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “A respected community member and experienced attorney with a record of leadership in government and in private practice, Mr. Pak has more than demonstrated his ability to lead the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

A longtime member of the Asian Pacific American legal community, Mr. Pak has served on the board of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a NAPABA affiliate, and was a former chair of the NAPABA Government Enforcement and Compliance Committee. He has also spoken on legal education courses sponsored by NAPABA and is a recipient of the NAPABA Best Under 40 Award.

An experienced litigator and former prosecutor, Mr. Pak is currently a partner at Chambers Pak Burch & Adams LLC, where he focuses on complex litigation. Previously, he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia for six years, a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP and Schiff Harding LLP, and an associate at Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. Pak also served in the Georgia House or Representatives.

Mr. Pak clerked for Judge Richard Mills of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. He received his B.B.A. from Stetson University in 1995 and his J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Illinois College of Law in 1998.

NAPABA commends President Trump for announcing the nomination of Byung J. “BJay” Pak to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO DEFEND ASIAN AMERICAN VOTING RIGHTS NY • NJ • MA • PA • NV • MI • TX • GA • LA • VA • MD • DC Asian American Poll Monitoring for Mid-Term — Tuesday, November 4, 2014

In past elections, Asian Americans have faced a series of barriers in exercising their right to vote.  When the news media reported on election results, Asian Americans were overlooked.  In response, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund along with several partners will monitor the elections for bilingual ballots under the federal Voting Rights Act and to document instances of anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement.

We need your help.  In the 2012 elections, 850 volunteers polled 9,096 Asian American voters in 14 states and Washington, DC.  Volunteers work in 3-hour shifts.  There will be a 90-minute training session for all volunteers.  (Attorneys can receive 1.5 CLE credits including 0.5 ethics credit.)  Sign up online here.  Thank you!

For more information, contact: AALDEF Staff Attorney Jerry Vattamala or Voting Rights Organizer Judy Lei at 800-966-5946 or [email protected]

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AALDEF 2014 Poll Monitoring Trainings
Lite Lunch/ Dinner will be provided.  
Advanced Registration required.  Sign up here.

Tues., Oct. 14 – Boston
8:30 a.m. – Mintz Levin, 1 Financial Center, Boston, MA 02110
12 noon – Ropes & Gray, 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199
6 p.m. – Edwards Wildman, 111 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02199

Wed, Oct. 15 – New York City
12 noon – Shearman & Sterling, 599 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022

Thurs, Oct. 16 – New York City
12 noon – Weil Gotshal, 767 5th Ave, New York, NY 10153
6 p.m. – Wilson Elser, 150 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017

Fri, Oct. 17 – Las Vegas
12:30 p.m. – Ballard Spahr,  100 North City Parkway, Suite 1750, Las Vegas, NV 89106
6 p.m. – Location TBD

Mon, Oct. 20- Washington DC
12 p.m. – Finnegan, I St NW # 700, Washington, DC 20005
6 p.m. – Crowell & Moring, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004

Tues, Oct. 21 – Atlanta
12 noon – Ballard Spahr, 999 Peachtree Street, Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA 30309
6 p.m. – CPACS, 3510 Shallowford Rd NE, Chamblee, GA 30341

Wed, Oct. 22 – Houston
12 noon – Fullbright & Jaworski, 1301 McKinney St #5100, Houston, TX 77010
6 p.m. – OCA-Greater Houston, 9800 Town Park #142, Houston TX 77036

Thurs, Oct. 23- New Orleans
2 p.m. – Cotton, Schmidt & Abbot, 650 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130
6 p.m. – VAYLA, 13235 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

Thurs., Oct, 23 – Ann Arbor/Detroit
12 noon – Detroit, location TBD
6 p.m. –  University of Michigan Law School, 625 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (tentative location)

Mon, Oct. 27 – Newark, NJ
12 noon – McCarter & English, 100 Mulberry St, Newark, NJ 07102

 Tues, Oct. 28 – Manhattan
12 noon – Baker Hostetler, 45 Rockefeller Plaza #10, New York, NY 10111
6 p.m. – Debevoise & Plimpton, 919 Third Ave, New York, NY 10022

Wed, Oct. 29 – Philadelphia
12 noon – Ballard Spahr, 1735 Market St #5100, Philadelphia, PA 19103
6 p.m. – BPSOS – South Philly, 600 Washington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (tentative location)

Wed, Oct. 29 – Brooklyn
12:45pm – Brooklyn Law School, 250 Joralemon St, Room 500, New York, NY 11201

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AALDEF 2014 Poll Monitoring Co-Sponsors
List as of September 17, 2014.

NATIONAL CO-SPONSORS
Alliance of South Asian American Labor
APIAVote
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
North American South Asian Bar Association
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates
South Asian Americans Leading Together

LOCAL CO-SPONSORS
APIA Vote – Michigan
Asian American Society of Central Virginia
Boat People SOS Delaware Valley – PA
Center for Pan Asian Community Services – GA
Chhaya CDC – NY
Chinese Community Federation of Atlanta – GA
Chinese Progressive Association – MA
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia
Hunter College/CUNY, Asian American Studies Program – NY
Korean American Civic Empowerment of NY/NJ
MinKwon Center for Community Action – NY
OCA Georgia Chapter
OCA Greater Houston Chapter
OCA Las Vegas Chapter
Princeton Asian American Students Association – NJ
University of Maryland, College Park, Asian American Studies Program
University of Massachusetts Boston, Asian American Studies Program
Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association of New Orleans – LA

LEGAL CO-SPONSORS
Asian American Bar Association of Houston
Asian American Bar Association of New York
Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
Asian American Legal Advocacy Center of Georgia
Asian Bar Association of Las Vegas – NV
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Washington, DC
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Assoc. of New Jersey
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center – DC
Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Greater Boston Legal Services: Asian Outreach Unit – MA
Korean Amer. Bar Assoc. of the Washington DC Area
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater NY
Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Pace Law School, Public Interest Law Center – NY
Suffolk U. Law School, Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service – MA
and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association chapters across the country.

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NAPABA Applauds the Appointment of Judge Carla Wong McMillian To The Georgia Court of Appeals

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal appointed Judge Carla Wong McMillian to be a judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Judge McMillian is the first Asian Pacific American state appellate court judge to be appointed in the Southeast Region of the United States.

“We applaud Governor Deal for this historic appointment,” stated Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Judge McMillian has distinguished herself on the Georgia trial court bench, and we believe that all of Georgia benefits from having a highly qualified and diverse Court of Appeals.”

Judge McMillian has been a state court judge in Fayette County, Georgia since 2010. In 2012, she became the first Asian Pacific American female judge to be elected in Georgia. Prior to Judge McMillian’s appointment to the bench, she was a partner at the law firm of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan LLP, where she focused on complex litigation. She has been listed as a “Rising Star” in Georgia Super Lawyers in 2007 and 2010. NAPABA recognized her as one of its “Best Lawyers Under 40” in 2012. Judge McMillian is a proud Georgian, whose grandparents immigrated to the United States from China in the 1920s and whose mother is from Hong Kong.

NAPABA congratulates Judge McMillian on her appointment and commends Governor Deal for his initiative in diversifying the judiciary.